Cotton blending and cleaning apparatus.



0. B. SAMPLE.

PATENTED' JUNE 28, 1904.

COTTON BLENDING AND CLEANING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAB/1.1904.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- 2 UW' 7Q 10 I, I4 3 J 0 O 34 36 0 g /6 oWi/Vmzoom THE mums pzrms co vHcro-Lmm. \usummou. u. c

attorney PATBNTED JUNEZB, 19 04.

c. B.- SAMPLE. coTToN BLBNDIN'G AND CLEANING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAB. 1. 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 H0 MODEL.

Q/Vitmeooam aiiknmmg m: NORRIS PETERS cuyhotaufna, wnsumm'ou, u. c.

view of a guide plate or tooth.

umsav s.

I Patented June .28, 1904.

UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES B. SAMPLE, OF TERLTON, OKLAHOMA TERRITORY.

COTTON BLENDING AND CLEANING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 763,798, dated June 28,1904.

Application filed March' 1, 1904. SerialNo. 195,982. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES E. SAMPLE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Terlton, in the county of Pawnee, Oklahoma Territory, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Cotton Blending and CleaningApparatus, of which the following is a specifica tion. My inventionrelates to new and useful improvements in cotton blending and cleaningapparatus adapted to be used in connection with cotton-gins orotherwise; and its object able receptacle provided therefor and to automatically feed the clean cotton to the ginstand. 1

A further object is to provide means whereby the. cotton may be carriedby suction through the cleaning apparatus.

Another object is to provide novel means for separating and mixing thecotton, so as to blend any stained cotton with the white material, so asto render the stained stock invisible to the eye after the ginningoperation, thereby saving the usual reduction in the price upon the massbecause of the discolored cotton.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination ofparts hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, showing the preferred formof my invention,and in which Figure 1 is a vertical section. Fig. 2 is a section online'2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on line 3 3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is aperspective Fig. 5 is a horizontal section through the feed-wheel.

Referring to the figures by numerals of reference, 1 is a frame of anysuitable construction having a casing 2 supported thereon, the bottom ofwhich forms a hopper 3, having an outlet-pipe 4E. Arranged Within thecasing is a frusto-conical jacket 6, which extends partly over thehopper 3 and communicates at its upper end with an air-tight hood 7. Ashaft 8 is journaled within the frame 1 and extends through the'centerof the casing 2 and jacket 6 and also through the hood 7. This shaft isprovided with a pulley 9 or other suitable means, whereby it may berotated by any suitable power. Within the hood 7 is a feedwheel 10,which is secured on the shaft 8 and is adapted to be rotated thereby.This wheel is formed of a series of laterally-extending wedge-shapedpartitions 11, the upper ends of which are covered by a screen 12, andis incased with a band 30 around the outer extremity of said partitionsand screen, as shown in Fig.

1. This wheel is eccentrically arranged within the hood 7 and issupported by the shaft 8 above a partition 13, which projects into thehood and has a tight-fitting cover l3 and a downwardly-extending flange14:. This flange and one of the sides of the hood 7 form a hopper 15,the outlet of which is in vertical alinement with the chamber formedbetween the jacket 6 and a hollow frusto-conical roll 16, secured to theshaft 8 and concentric with the jacket 6. Partitions 17 connect theshaft with the roll, and both ends of the roll are closed by disks 16and 16", the upper end being provided with an air-inlet 5. The lower endof the roll 16 and'fan-blades 27, secured to said end, are revolublymounted above and adjacent the bottom 18 of the jacket. A circular tube20 incloses the aperture 5 and extends upward from the roll 16 to apoint above the lower edge of flange 14:, and this circular tube formsan inlet-tube through which air may beadmitted to the roll 16.Fan-blades 21 extend laterally from the tube 20 and are provided attheir outer ends with inclined teeth or projections 22. The tube 20 isconnected apertures 24 are thus formed in the roll for the escape of airentering the inlet 5 and forced outward by the rapidly-rotatingfan-blades 17. A number of apertures 25 are formed in the jacket 6. Anoutlet-tube 26 extends from one side of the jacket 6, at the bottomthereof, and extending from the shaft 8 in horizontal alinement withthis outlet-tube is the series of fan-blades 27, before referred to. Theoutlet-tube in cross-section is preferably of the form illustrated inFig. 3, and it will thus be seen that when the blades 27 are rotated inthe direction of the arrow in Fig. 3 any material in the paths thereofwill be thrown and blown outward into the tube 26. This tubecommunicates with a feed-tube 28, arranged at the upper ends of agin-feed 29, and the outer end of the tube is normally open. Adiagonally-arranged screen 31 extends transversely across the tube 28,the inclination being such as to direct outward any material broughtinto contact therewith from the tube 26.

A suction-tube 34 opens into the partition 13 at a point below the wheel10 and in vertical alinement with the end of a suction-tube 33, and thistube 34 is preferably provided with a vertical portion 34, at the baseof which is arranged a receptacle 35 for the reception of stones andother heavy foreign particles. This receptacle is preferably normallyclosed at the bottom by means of a cap 36.

The teeth 22 move beneath guide-plates 22, secured to the inner face ofthe jacket 6 at its upper end,and forcethe cotton into the space betweenthe roll 16 and the jacket 6. The seed-cotton is sucked into thecleaning apparatus through the pipe 34, and in passing the receptacle 35all heavy particles carried therebysuch as stones, &c.will fall bygravity thereinto and can subsequently be removed by first detaching thecap 36. The cotton is drawn upward into the feed-wheel 10 by the suctionof air through tube 33,and its upward movement is'stopped by the screen12. As the wheel 10, together with the fans 21, 27, and 17 and the roll16, are rapidly rotated with the shaft 8,it will be understood that thecotton will be quickly carried into the hopper 15 by the wheel 10 andwill drop therethrough by gravity, assisted by air which is drawn intothe hopper 15 through tube 10 by fan-blades 21. When the cotton comes incontact with the blades 21 and the inclined teeth 22 thereon, it will beforced under the guide-plates 22 upon the jacket 6. The air from tube 10and a portion of the dirt and dust contained in the cotton will be blownout by centrifugal force through apertures 25 in jacket 6, and thecotton will be forced downward by the rotation of the roll 16 and teeth22 and will be forced by inclined guide-plates 22 into the space betweenthe jacket 6 and the roll 16.

Air enters the roll through the inlet 5 and is forced outward bycentrifugal force from the rapidly-rotating fan-blades 17, which revolvewith the roll. This air as it passes through the apertures 24 blows thecotton which is between the roll and jacket firmly into the apertures 25in the jacket 6, and it is rapidly thrown from these apertures by theteeth on the roll 16. The cotton is also thrown by centrifugal forceagainst the apertured jacket with such force as to separate looseparticles of foreign material from the cotton and force them through theapertures. The cotton is thus thoroughly separated, each seed from theothers,with its adhering lint, and the air passes through it and carriesall dust and rubbish, mildew, or mold through the apertures 25 into thecasing 2, from which it is blown outward through the pipe 4,. The cottonis carried downward and around the jacket 6 in-a spiral course as it isalternately blown into apertures 25 and thrown from them by teeth 24 asthey rotate with the roll, and it is blown and thrown'against the innerinclined sides of the hollow frusto-conical jacket 6, and this spiraldownward movement of the cotton is assisted by the air dischargedthrough the apertures in the roll and which is directed downward by theinclined teeth on the roll. Then the cotton reaches the bottom of thecompartment formed, between the jacket and the roll, it is forced underplates 22 at the bottom of the jacket 6 and is discharged therefrom bythe teeth 22 on the fan-blades 27, which throw and blow it into the tube26 and against the screen 31, and it drops therefrom into the gin-feed29. During the downward course of the cotton between the perforatejacket 6 and the roll 16 it is continuously subjected to the cleaningeffect of the air-blast or air under pressure delivered thereagainstcentrifugally with respect to the shaft 8 and the blades 17 thereon, andthereby forced outwardly against the jacket and over the openings 25,the latter being cleared regularly by the downward feed-action of theteeth 24:, as before set forth; but the retention-of the cotton againstthe jacket 6 over a portion at least of the openings 25 is materiallybeneficial inthe cleaning operation, in view of the fact that the cottonis held in one position for a greater length of time and more thoroughlysubjected to the cleaning influence of the air forced outwardlythereagainst. During the time that the cotton is held against the jacket6 over the openings in the latter a resistance is temporarily set up tothe escape of the air through said openings in an outward direction, andby this operation the air is more fully utilized in cleaning the cottonby reason of being forced to some extent therethrough. The mosteffective cleaning operation ensues between the planes of the plates ordisks 16 and 16 and. as the outwardly-forced or centrifugally-appliedair without obstruction would have the tendency to pass out or escape inthe direction of least resistance it would pass downwardly scares towardthe bottom 18 of the jacket 6, and a large part thereof would escapeinto the discharge-tube or outlet 28. This operation would take place inview of the closure of the openings by the cotton forced thereagainst,and the cleaned and blended. To obstruct this downward movement andescape of the air, the fanblades 27, providing a pneumatic resistance,are located in the bottom of the jacket under the lower disk or plate16", and though this lower pneumatic resistance means does not interferewith the mechanical feed ofthe cot-- 'ton toward the discharge it doesoperate to counteract the loss of any of the forceful effect of the airthrown outwardly through the roll or toothed device and jacket,-especially in view of the fact that each of the 'fans or air-pressurecreating devices has independent air current-feeding means. In otherwords, the strata of air-pressure created by the fan arranged externallyof the enlarged extremity of the roll is sufiicient in resistance tohold the air-pressure forcing the cotton outwardly against the jacketwithin the cleaning-space between the planes of the disks or plates 16and 16 The upper fan, or that within the reduced extremity of the roll16,

also forces air outwardly against the cotton at the point where thelatter enters the space between the roll and jacket to perform aninitial cleaning step, and this fan also operates as a resistance meansto prevent the escape of the air thrown outwardly by the intermediate 1fan comprising the blades 17 through the feed end of the machine andobstructs any tendency to retardationof the feed of the cotton bythe-means heretofore explained. Thus it will be seen that a pneumaticresistance means is located at opposite extremities of the main cleaningportion of the space between the roll and jacket where the mosteffective cleaning and blending of the cotton takes place. It will beobserved that the resistance or obstruction of the fan-blades 27 to theloss or escape of the pressureof the blades 17 is materially assisted bycontracting the outlet 26, such contraction or restriction of thisoutlet causing the air-pressure of the fan comprising the blades 27. tobe thrown upwardly. One or more gin-feeds may be thus filled, for whenthe cotton fills up to the screen 31 in the farthermost connectedginfeed the air-current is thereby; retarded and the cotton falls nearerto the fans 27 until the cotton against the screen is worked down. Thecotton is then blown against the screen as before. I r

By providing a jacket of frusto-conical form the passage of the cottontoward the outlet 26 is facilitated for the reason that each time thecotton is drawn out of the apertures in the jacket by the teeth on roll16 it is driven back against the jacket, but at a point nearer thedischarge end thereof.

cotton would -not be as thoroughly ning.

and cleaning seed-cotton by I uponthe wings, and means ,nicating withsaid tube,

It will be understood that in addition to cleaning cotton the apparatuscan also be used for commingling stained cotton with white cotton, soasto prevent the. loss which is occasioned by the reduced price given fordiscolored stock.

The apparatus may also be employed for drying the cotton which is toodamp for gin- The apparatus can be disconnected from the cotton-gin andused for blending first removing cover 13 and feed-wheel 10. Cotton canthen be placed in the hopper and will be operatedupon by the teeth'22and plates 22, as hereinbefore described. An air-inlet tube 10 is soarranged within the hood 7 as to permit air to the center of the fan 27.This air is thrown outward by the fans for the purposes hereinbefore setforth.

In the foregoing description I have shown the preferred form of myinvention; but I do not limit myself thereto, as I am aware thatmodifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit orsacrificing anyof the advantages thereof, and 1 therefore reserve theright'to make such changes asfairly fall within the scope of myinvention.

Having thus described the invention. what is claimed as new is 1. In ablending and cleaning mechanism,

the combination of a cleaning device, ahopper,

a revoluble feed-wheel in said hopper and comprising laterally-extendingwings, a screen for pneumatically supplying material to said wheel.

2. In a blending and cleaning mechanism, the combination of a cleaningdevice, a hopper, a revoluble shaft, wings extending laterallytherefrom, a screen upon the wings, a band around the screen and wings,said screen, wings and band forming a feed-wheel for the hopper, a tubefor supplying material pneumatically to the bottom of the wheel, and areceptacle'communicating with the tube.

3. In a blending and cleaning mechanism, the combination with a cleaningdevice, a hopper, a revoluble shaft, blades extending therefrom, ascreen upon the blades, a band encircling the screen and blades, saidscreen, blades and band forming a feed-wheel for the hopper, a pneumaticfeed-tube opening below the feed-wheel, a depending receptacle commuanda suction-tube above the wheel.

1. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with acasing, and a hopper forming the bottom thereof; of a jacket within thecasing having apertures therein, guide-plates on the jacket, a hood tothe jacket, pneumatic feed mechanism within and communicating with thehood, a hollow 763, tee? scribed, the combination with a stationaryjacket having apertures therein; of an apertured frusto-conical rollrevolubly mounted wilthin the jacket and partitions within the r0 1.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination with a hollowjacket having apertures therein and a bottom thereto, of a hollowfrusto-conical apertured roll revolubly mounted within the jacket andhaving teeth thereon, and partitions within the roll and extendinglongitudinally thereof.

In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with astationary hollow frusto-conical jacket having apertures therein and abottom thereunder; of a hollow frusto-conical apertured roll revolublymounted within the jacket and having its walls parallel with the wallsof the jacket, and partitions within the roll and extendinglongitudinallythereof.

11. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with ahollow frustoconical jacket having apertures therein; of a hollowfrusto-conical roll revolubly mounted within the jacket and having itswalls parallel with the walls of said jacket, said roll having aperturestherein, inclined teeth extending from the roll adjacent its aperturesand having its ends closed, a tubular inlet opening upward from saidroll, and partitions within the roll and extending longitudinallythereof.

12. In an apparatus of the character de scribed, the combination with ahollow frustoconical jacket having apertures therein and platesextending inward from the jacket; of a hollow frusto-conical roll revolubly mounted within the jacket and having apertures therein,fan-partitions secured within the roll and extending longitudinallythereof, inclined teeth extending from the roll adjacent the apertures,and a tubular inlet extending from the interior of said roll.

13. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with ahollow frustoconical jacket having guide-plates extending inwardlytherefrom, and adjacent apertures therein,and a casinginclosing thejacket; of the hollow frusto-conical inclosed roll revolubly mountedwithin the jacket and having its walls parallel with the Walls of thejacket, said roll having apertures therein, blades within theroll,.inclined teeth extending from the roll and adjacent its apertures,a shaft within the roll and secured to the blades and roll and extendingfrom the inclosed ends of said roll, a tube upon the shaft and extendinginto the roll, blades upon said tube, teeth upon the blades, means forconveying material to the blades and teeth, and to the space below saidblades and between the jacket and roll, a fan upon the shaft inalinement with an outlet and below the opening, a tube to the outlet,and means for retarding said material within the tube.

inclosed roll revolubly mounted within the jacket and having aperturestherein, teeth upon the roll adjacent the apertures therein, a tubeextending upward from the roll, and laterally-extending fan-blades uponthe shaft and adjacent an outlet in the jacket.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with acasing having a hopper-shaped bottom, and an outlet therefrom, of afrusto-conical jacket within the casing and forming a space between theeasing and the jacket, said jacket having a bottom thereunder andapertures therein, a hood upon the jacket, a revoluble feed-wheel withinthe hood, an inlet-tube within and extending from the casing, fan-bladesupon said tube, teeth upon the blades, a revoluble frusto-conical rollwithin the jacket and having apertures therein, a space being formedbetween the roll and jacket, teeth upon the roll and adjacent theapertures therein, plates upon the jacket adjacent the aperturestherein, fans Within the roll, a hopper within the hood, and fan-bladesextending from the shaft and within the jacket and adjacent an outlet inthe jacket.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with acasing having a hopper-shaped bottom and an outlet thereto; of a jacketwithin the casing and forming an opening between the casing and thejacket, a roll within said jacket, a bottom to the jacket and aperturesin the jacket, a hood upon the jacket; a revoluble feed-wheel therein,means for directing material from said wheel to a point between thejacket and roll, and fan blades upon the shaft and adjacent an outletfrom the jacket.

7 In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with acasing, and a hopper thereunder forming a bottomtherefor, said hopperhaving an outlet; of an apertured jacket Within the casing and formingan opening between the casing and the jacket, a revoluble shaft withinthe jacket, an apertured roll upon the shaft and within the jacket,plates upon the jacket and teeth upon the roll and adjacent theperforations, an in] et-tube extending upward from the roll, wings uponsaid tube, teeth upon said wings and adjacent the perforations in saidjacket, a hood upon the jacket, blades within the hood and extendingfrom the shaft, a screen upon the blades, a band around the screen andblades, said screen, band and blades forming a feed wheel, a hopperwithin the hood, a pneumatic inlet-pipe opening into the hood below thewheel, a pneumatic outlettube extending from the hood and above thewheel, an inletthe hood adjacent the center of said wheel, anoutlet-tube extending from an outlet in the jacket, material-retardingmeans in the tube, and fan-blades upon the shaft and adjacent saidoutlet.

8. In an apparatus of the character de- 14. In an apparatus of thecharacter described, the combination with a jacket tapered upward fromthe lower end thereof and having apertures therein, and plates extendinginwardlyfrom the jacket; of an apertured tubular roll revolubly mountedwithin the jacket and having its walls parallel with the walls of thejacket, partitions within the cylinder, inclined teeth extending fromthe cylinder adjacent to the apertures therein, and a tubular inletextending upward from said roll.

15. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with acasing having an outlet, of an apertured jacket within the casing, anapertured toothed tubular roll revolubly mounted within the jacket,fan-partitions within the roll, a shaft within and extending from theroll, an inlet-tube upon the shaft and roll, fan-blades upon the tube,teeth upon the blades, means for conveying material to the blades andteeth, means for directing said material to a fan in alinement with theoutlet, a tube extending from the outlet, and material-retarding meanswithin the tube.

16. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with acasing having a hopper-shaped bottom provided with an outlet; of astationary apertured jacket within the casing and having a bottomthereto, a toothed apertured roll revolubly mounted within the jacket,an outlet-tube extending from the jacket, and fan-blades revoluble withthe roll and adjacent the tube.

17. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination With astationary casing having an outlet at one end, and a hopper at the otherend; of a stationary apertured jacket within the casing andcommunicating with the hopper, said jacket having a bottom, a toothedapertured roll revolubly mounted within the jacket, an air-inlet tubeopening into the roll, partitions within said roll, and means at one endof the roll for expelling material from the jacket.

18. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with astationary casing having an outlet at one end, and a hopper at its otherend; of an apertured frusto-conical jacket Within the casing and adaptedto receive material from the hopper, an outlet-tube extending from thejacket, a hollow frustoconical roll revolubly mounted within the jacketand having its walls parallel with the walls of the jacket, teethextending from the roll adjacent apertures therein,longitudinallyextending partitions within the roll, an airinlet tubeopening into the roll,and materialexpelling means revoluble with theroll and adjacent the outlet-tube.

19. In a device of the character described, the combination with acasing having a bottom provided with an outlet; of a stationary jacketwithin the casing and having apertures therein, guide-plates on thejacket adjacent disks at the ends of the toothed device, and

means for forcing air outwardly through the apertures in the jacket.

20. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with acasing; of a jacket within the casing and having apertures therein,guide-plates on the jacket, a rotary toothed device within the jacket,means for feeding material to one end thereof, disks at opposite ends ofthe toothed device, laterallyextending fan-blades below and revolublewith the toothed device and adjacent an outlet in the jacket, and meansfor supplying air to said blades.

21.-In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with acasing having an outlet; of an apertured jacket within the casing, arevoluble toothed device within the jacket for driving material againstthe jacket and subsequently tearing the same therefrom, and fansadjacent the ends of said device.

22. In a machine of the class set forth, a casing having acleaned-material outlet, an apertured jacket within the casing, arevoluble toothed device within the jacket and forming a feed-space withthe latter, an intermediate pneumatic means for forcing materialoutwardly against the jacket, and pneumatic counteracting means adjacentto one end of the toothed device for preventing the airpressure of theintermediate pneumatic means from escaping through the outlet.

28. In a machine of the class set forth, an imperforate casing havingoutlet means, a perforate jacket within the casing, a tooth-carryingdevice in the jacket having openings therethrough and a closed end, aspace being formed between the tooth-carrying device and jacket for thefeed therethrough of material to be treated, a pneumatic means forforcing air outwardly through the tooth-carrying devices and jacket, anda counteracting pneumatic pressure means arranged adjacent to the closedend of the tooth-carrying device and operating to hold the air-pressurecreated by the said pneumatic means within certain confines in the spacebetween the tooth-carrying device and jacket.

2 1. Devices having an intervening space between them for the passage ofmaterial to be cleaned and formed with openings therearound, one of saiddevices having feed-teeth, a pneumatic means for forcing air outwardlythrough both devices to cause the material cleaned to adhere to one ofsaid devices, an airpresshre-creating means adjacent to the end of thedevice carrying the feed-teeth for obstructing the escape of theoutwardly-thrown air-pressure of the first-named pneumatic means,and animperforate casing surrounding the said devices and having an outlet,and another outlet communicating with the pneu- IIO matic means at theend of the tooth-carrying pressure effect of the said means for forcingdevice. air outwardly. I0

25. Inclosed material-feeding devices hav- In testimony whereofl aifixmy signature in ing openings therethrough and a space bepresence of twowitnesses. 5 tween them, means for forcing air outwardly. CHARLES B.SAMPLE.

through said devices, and pneumatic means WVitnesses: also inclosed andadjacent the end of one of DAVID B. HOLLER, said devices for obstructingthe loss of the J. G. BYERs.

